


Fierce Creatures

by dolores



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Burlesque (2010)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-31
Updated: 2011-01-31
Packaged: 2017-10-15 06:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/158142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dolores/pseuds/dolores
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oz gets work at a very unusual club in LA. Buffy/Burlesque crossover.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fierce Creatures

**Author's Note:**

  * For [katemonkey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/katemonkey/gifts).



Oz looked around. For a place that ostensibly celebrated the female form, he’d never been anywhere quite as gay. Not even the Castro came close.

A barman in a black bowler hat, a black vest and a lot of black eyeliner was arranging bottles of liquor. Without pausing in his task,  
he addressed Oz. “Can I help?”

“I’m here about the ad. You want a guitarist for the house band?”

The barman nodded. “Take a seat; I’ll get Dave, he’s in charge of the music round here.”

He disappeared through the back, and Oz perched on a stool. From the shadows, a man he hadn’t noticed before moved forward. He was wearing a bowler, vest and plenty of eyeliner too, but he was older than the barman, lines at the corners of his eyes and flecks of grey in his short hair.

He appraised Oz, an impish smile on his face. “You’re a little skinny for burlesque. Even the band members need to look buff in here.”

He circled around behind Oz’s stool, coming to rest against the bar, face close to Oz’s own.

“Then again, I think you’ll suit the make-up.”

The barman returns, accompanied by a burly black dude, who grins as he walks into the bar. “You better not be scaring him off, Alexis.”

“It’s cool. I’m not easily scared,” said Oz, looking placidly at Alexis.

Oz got a wink, an impish smile on Alexis’s face. “I’ll have to try harder next time.”

Alexis turned to Dave and said, “If he can play good guitar then he can stay. I like him.”

Then he vanished back into the shadows.

*

It was the end of Oz’s first week. Alexis had been right, he did look skinny in the black waistcoat, but Dave said a skinny but reliable guitarist, one who could actually play, was better than one with muscles and no talent.

Alexis had squeezed Oz’s bicep and remarked that Oz did have muscles, and that Dave ought not to be so rude.

That was five nights ago, and the intervening period had passed in a whirl of sequins, feathers and fishnets. It was kinda cool.

Oz was sat at the bar. On its other side, Jack wiped glasses with a cloth – for some reason Oz hadn’t quite fathomed yet, he seemed to both write the songs for star turn Ali and still tended the bar. An odd job description, but then it was that sort of place.

Perched on the stool opposite Oz was Alexis, legs crossed girlishly and a positively wicked smirk on his lips. The lines at the corners of his eyes were thick with glitter that matched the streaks of silver in his hair, and both gleamed in the low light of the club.

He poured Oz another jagermeister, and Oz downed it in one: it was his fourth. Or maybe his fifth. He thought Alexis might be trying to get him drunk.

Tess glided through from the back, moved to Alexis’ side and raised an eyebrow at the scene.

“Alexis, what have I told you about drinking all my liquor?”

He looked unabashed. “I’m rewarding Oz for a job well done. Bankers have their bonuses, we have shots."

She laughed in her low voice. “At least pour me one.”

He did, and she tossed it back with practised ease. Setting down the glass, Tess ran her tongue along her ruby red lips, savouring the taste – then, looking at Oz but addressing Alexis, she said, “You’re not usually so keen to reward members of the band.”

“I’m difficult to impress.”

Tess’ next comment was aimed at Oz. “He’s right, you did well.”

Oz held Alexis’ gaze. “I aim to please.”

Alexis leaned in. “Do you now?”

Tess rolled her eyes, and started to glide off to her next destination. “Don’t encourage him, Oz. He’s bad enough as it is.”

There was a pause into which Alexis poured another jagermeister, and watched intent as Oz drank it down. His eyes travelled along Oz’s bare arm.

“You should get a tattoo. You would look fierce with a tattoo."

Oz shrugged, and then adjusted the bowler hat on his head. He looked at Alexis through eyes thick with kohl. "I don't look fierce now?"

Somehow, Alexis’s smirk became just a little more suggestive.

Another pause. Alexis moved to grab the bottle, but his arm was caught by Oz, who had decided that they’d flirted enough and pulled him in for a soft kiss.

It lasted for several long seconds, long enough for Jack to call out, “get a room!” and someone else further away to wolf whistle.

They separate. Alexis looked a little flushed despite himself, and affected modesty. "Sweetie, I'm old enough to be your father!"

And Oz was drunk enough to reply, "Did you want me to call you Daddy?"

Alexis roared with laughter and grabbed Oz so they could kiss again.

*

Sean noticed him first, as he appeared at the top of the stairs.

“Oh my God, I’ve just met my new husband.”

Tess grabbed his arm playfully. “He could be a paying customer, leave him alone.”

The young man descended into the club, where he was greeted by Alexis. Spotting Oz tuning his guitar in the band pit, he shouted his name.

After they exchanged a brief hug, Oz brought him over and introduced him to Tess and an almost vibrating Sean.

“This is my friend Devon. Alexis met him and thinks he’d be ideal for the club. As a barman. Or, y’know, maybe one of the dancers.”

“I agree,” said Sean, immediately, then looked firmly at Tess.

Tess smiled and shook her head.

“Alright. Welcome to Burlesque.”


End file.
